1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of reattaching a toner seal for sealing a developer supplying opening for supplying a developer from a developer containing portion.
2. Related Background Art
In image forming apparatuses using the electrophotographic image forming process, there has heretofore been adopted a process cartridge system in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge which is detachably mountable on the main body of the image forming apparatus. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be done by a user himself without resorting to a serviceman and therefore, operability could be improved markedly. So, this process cartridge system is widely used in the image forming apparatuses.
In such a process cartridge, provision is made of a photosensitive drum, and developing means is used to impart a developer (toner) to a latent image formed on the photosensitive drum. This developing means comprises a developing frame holding a developing roller or the like for feeding the toner to the photosensitive drum, and a toner frame containing the toner therein and connected to the developing frame. Before use, an opening portion provided in the connecting portion between the toner frame and the developing frame is sealed by a seal member. There is conceived an image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge provided with a seal automatic unsealing device for automatically unsealing the seal member sealing the opening portion of the toner frame when the process cartridge is mounted on the main body of the image forming apparatus in case of the first use and the seal automatic take-up device of the process cartridge can be driven.
The process cartridge refers to charging means or cleaning means and developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum integrally made into a cartridge which is made detachably mountable to the main body of an image forming apparatus. It also refers to at least one of charging means and cleaning means and developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum integrally made into a cartridge which is made detachably mountable to the main body of the image forming apparatus. It further refers to at least developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive drum integrally made into a cartridge which is made detachably mountable to the main body of the apparatus.
However, in a developer containing portion provided with the aforedescribed toner seal automatic unsealing device, no consideration has been given to easily reattaching the toner seal.
So, the present invention solves the above-noted problem.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of reattaching a toner seal.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a toner seal reattaching method capable of easily reattaching a toner seal.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a toner seal reattaching method capable of easily effecting the refilling of a developer containing portion provided with a toner seal automatic unsealing device with a developer.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of reattaching a toner seal to a toner frame having a developer containing portion for containing a developer therein and a developer supplying opening for supplying the developer therethrough from the developer containing portion, in order to seal the developer supplying opening, comprising;
(a) the detaching step of detaching the already taken-up toner seal from a take-up spool for taking up the toner seal;
(b) the sticking step of sticking the toner seal on the toner frame so as to seal the developer supplying opening;
(c) the folding-back step of folding back the toner seal from the stuck end portion thereof; and
(d) the attaching step of attaching the leading end portion of the folded-back toner seal to the take-up spool for taking up the toner seal to unseal the developer supplying opening in the state of restricting by the toner seal the operation of a detecting lever for detecting that a predetermined amount of the toner seal has been taken up to unseal the developer supplying opening.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.